Life Never Runs Smoothly
by N Tonks Fan
Summary: Life is difficult enough for the trio in the middle of their NEWT year but then Hermione recieves some news that makes things a lot more complicated and will change her life forever as well as Ron's.
1. Chapter 1

_**This story takes place during the trios seventh year at Hogwarts. Voldemort is on holiday or something because he is not mentioned once in this story. Everyone that died in Deathly Hallows is still alive as is Dumbledore. I'm not really sure about Sirius, he doesn't really get mentioned (sorry Sirius!) Oh and I know the events in this story would never ever happen but it was fun to write! That's it really, I hope I haven't confused anyone and enjoy reading! **_

**_..._**

Hermione Granger sat in the Gryffindor common room at a table surrounded by books. She was in her seventh and final year at Hogwarts and the time for sitting NEWTS was getting closer and closer. In just seven months time she would be sitting the biggest exams of her life so for the past few months she had been studying hard. The rest of her class mates had been studying here and there but nothing like what Hermione was doing.

"Can you please take a break?" a tall, red headed teenager covered in freckles asked her.

"Ron you know how important these exams are," Hermione replied crossly.

"Yeah but you've been studying non stop for weeks, I've hardly seen you at all," Ron protested. "Can't you just take a break for half an hour?"

"Oh all right then," Hermione agreed grudgingly. "If it keeps you happy."

Ron grinned and pulled her to her feet before taking her arm and leading her out of the common room. He did not stop walking until they were out in the grounds by the lake.

"There we go. Get some fresh air into you," he said, looking pleased with his own thoughtfulness. "You look bloody awful!" he told her bluntly.

"Well thank you Ronald," Hermione said.

"Sorry but you do," Ron said. "You're as pale as Nick and you've got massive bags under your eyes."

"Well I haven't been sleeping that well," Hermione admitted. "I've been studying late into the night and when I eventually do go to bed I get pains in my stomach. Nerves I suspect."

"Already? " Ron asked incredulously. "Hermione the exams are seven months away, not seven weeks, not seven days but seven months. We haven't even learned half the stuff yet anyway lets not talk about the exams," he added hastily.

They sat down by the lake and leant against a nearby tree. Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulders and gazed out over the smooth, glassy surface of the water.

"Did you know that next month will be our third anniversary," Hermione told him. "Can you believe it has been three years since we have been together?"

"It seems to have flown in," Ron mumbled.

Yes, yes it has," Hermione said faintly.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked quickly. "You look - if that's possible - even paler than before!"

"I'll be all right," she replied vaguely. "Only if you don't mind I'd rather that you sat down. You are making me dizzy when you spin around like that."

"But I am sitting down," Ron pointed out.

He gave her a worried look.

"You need to go see Madam Pomfrey."

"It's just the amount of reading I have been doing recently," Hermione said weakly. "Although-"

Her sentence was cut short as she was sick over the grass.

"Yuk!" Ron exclaimed before realizing he had said the wrong thing. "I meant let's get you up to the hospital wing straight away."

He pulled Hermione to her feet. She swayed for a moment before Ron grabbed her and led her away from the lake and back towards the castle.

Ten minutes later they arrived outside the hospital wing. They journey had taken longer than usual as Hermione has stopped several times to be sick again. Once inside she collapsed down weakly on the nearest bed while Ron ran off to fetch Madam Pomfrey.

"Miss Granger. Not feeling your best I see," the hospital matron commented as she bustled out of her office.

She lay a hand on Hermione's fore head, felt her pulse and then took out her wand and waved it over Hermione's body.

"Mr Weasely you are going to have to wait outside for the moment," Madam Pomfrey said sternly.

"No Way! I want to stay here with Hermione to check she is all right," Ron protested.

"Mr Weasely are you a trained healer?"

"No but-"

"Do you know anything about healing potions or other remedies?"

"Well not really but-"

"Then tell me how you are going to help Miss Granger here?" Madam Pomfrey asked smugly.

Ron shot her a disgruntled look before stalking out of the wing, making sure to bang the door shut on his way out.

"Symptoms," Madam Pomfrey said to Hermione. "Nausea, light headiness, dizziness, cramp."

Hermione looked startled for a moment before nodding slowly.

"How did you know?" she asked. "Does that mean you know what is wrong with me?"

"I do indeed my dear. And you yourself should have realized by now too."

Hermione looked puzzled.

"You are pregnant."

Hermione's face was one of utter shock. Her face turned a violent green colour before she was once more sick.

Madam Pomfrey quickly conjured a basin and thrust it into her hands.

"No, no you must be mistaken," Hermione stuttered. "It's not possible."

"You and Mr Weasely didn't?"

"Well yes we did," Hermione said miserably. Her face turned from green to a deep red. "It was stupid. I don't know why we did it, it should never have happened. But really I can't be p-" she could not bear herself to say the word. "I would have known if I was."

"Yes you should have realized but I assure you, I do not make mistakes."

"I have been busy studying lately. Not really paying attention to anything. Straight after the last class in the afternoon I would go straight to the common room and start studying until around midnight. I haven't even been feeding myself properly," Hermione explained.

"Well that would do it," Madam Pomfrey said. "If you have been working yourself so hard then something like becoming pregnant wouldn't occur to you."

"Oh what have I done!" Hemione broke down into tears. Her body shook violently as she sobbed. "You must think terribly of me right now."

"There, there," Madam Pomfrey patted her on the shoulder. "I cannot say that I approve of what has happened but you are a sensible young lady and you shall be a wonderful mother to this baby."

Hermione continued to sob loudly. "I'm n-not ready t-to be a m-mo-mother," she wailed. "I haven' e-even finished s-school yet. I wanted to go on and get a job in the ministry but how can I d-do that now! I've gone and ruined my life!"

"Well I'm sure your parents will be able to help you," Madam Pomfrey said kindly.

"My parents!" Hermione said hysterically. "W-what are they going to say when th-they find out! They're going to hate me. Everyone is. And Mrs Weasley, she'll b-be furious too. And oh what is everyone here at Hogwarts going to think and Ron! He is nowhere n-near ready to be a f-father yet!"

Hermione's tears cascaded down her face heavily. Madam Pomfrey waved her wand at a cabinet at the end of the room and a large green bottle zoomed towards her. She waved it again and a small glass appeared. She filled the glass with the liquid in the bottle and passed it into Hermione's trembling hands.

"Calming draught, shock concoction and a sleeping draught all in one," she informed Hermione. "Drink it."

Hermione brought the glass to her lips and gingerly took a sip before gulping down the rest of the potion. Her eyes became heavy and slowly she lay back on the bed and fell asleep with a calm expression on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours later Hermione slowly stirred and sat up in bed looking drowsy. For a moment she looked happy until the tears started again.

"There, There," Madam Pomfrey said gruffly, rushing over to her bed side. "It's not the end of the world you know. And well if you really want to… you could get rid of it," she said in disapproving tones.

Hermione looked shocked. "I could never do something like that!" she stated.

"Yes, I knew you would have said that," Madam Pomfrey said although she looked relieved all the same. "You are just going to have to get on I'm afraid. Now Mr Weasley is standing in the corridor outside. I will go and fetch him and then you can tell him the good news."

"Good news, good news!" Hermione yelped. "I could call it a number of things but good news is definitely not one of them."

Madam Pomfrey ignored her though and opened the door to let Ron back in.

"So how are you feeling?" Ron asked gingerly.

"I, well, not too good," Hermione admitted.

Her eyes wandered over the room, looking anywhere but at him.

"There is nothing wrong with me, well no illness," she began.

Ron looked at her, a confused look on his face.

"You see, well, I'm – I'm, oh I can't say it!" Hermione wailed, tears falling down her face.

Ron gazed at her in alarm.

"What is it? It can't be that bad can it?"

Hermione nodded and took a gulp of air to calm herself. She covered her face in her hands and began to speak again.

"Oh Ron, I'm p-pr-pregnant!" she sobbed, her voice muffled by her hands.

"You're what?" Ron asked, screwing his face up. "I couldn't hear you properly."

Hermione uncovered her face and spoke to the blanket on the bed she was lying on.

"I'm pregnant…" she whispered, looking up in time to see Ron's eyes widen in shock.

"You're what!" he exploded. "You have to be joking, you are aren't you? Was it Fred and George, I bet it was the gits. Did they send an owl to you saying it would be a hilarious trick to play?"

Hermione's pained expression was enough to tell him the truth though.

In a matter of seconds his face turned bright red to pale white – almost as white as the ghosts floating around the castle. After a few more seconds it had turned green. Ron swayed on the spot for a moment before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted, landing with a thud on the floor.

"What on earth was that?" Madam Pomfrey asked, hurrying out of her office.

Her gaze shifted from Hermione's crying figure on the bed to Ron lying face up on the ground.

"So you told him then," she said grimly.

...

A few hours later Hermione was sitting up in bed trying her best to focus her attention on the Daily Prophet.

Ron was lying in the bed beside her, he had still not woken up after Hermione's news.

Hermione read to the bottom of an article on an elderly wizard that had been tricked into a swamp by hinkypunks and had nearly drowned when the sounds of Ron mumbling caused her to look up.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"I dunno," Ron said groggily.

He sat up and scratched his head. All of a sudden though his face filled with horror and his arm dropped limply to his side.

"So you have remembered then?" Hermione asked.

She had been given another dose of calming draught and so was feeling quite peaceful and relaxed.

Ron gaped at her. His mouth opened and closed like a fish but no words came out. His face was still drained of all colour and he looked ready to faint again at any moment. He pointed at Hermione wordlessly.

"Say something please," Hermione begged.

Ron however seemed incapable of speech.

"Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Oh bloody hell," he said hoarsely. "A baby! What are we going to do? We're only kids ourselves. I don't know how to look after a baby, I can barely look after myself properly. We're still at school and my god we would be parents!" he said suddenly. "I'm not ready to be a dad. I'm only eighteen! Not finished school, no idea what I want to do for a living, no money, nothing. Absolutely nothing. How the hell did we let this happen!"

"I don't know," Hermione said quietly. "I really don't know."

"There's no way we could look after a child Hermione. We're just not ready for that sort of thing," Ron stated. "What about school and then our careers afterwards?"

Hermione shook her head, looking down at her fingers.

"I sounded like you there," Ron smiled slightly. "Going on about school and jobs. What have you done to me Hermione?"

Hermione laughed gently but quickly stopped.

"If only we had a time turner and we could go back in time," Ron said wistfully.

"Don't be so thick Ron," Hermione snapped, the effects of the potion beginning to wear off.

"Hermione we can't do this," Ron stated.

"So what are you saying? What do you suggest I do Ron," Hermione's voice rose slightly.

"I don't know all right I just don't know!" Ron roared.

He stood up and marched out the room, swearing loudly as he went.


	3. Chapter 3

A few minutes later Harry appeared at the door and made his way over to Hermione.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her. "I went down to the kitchens before coming here and managed to get you some cakes. Oh what's wrong with Ron by the way? He nearly walked into me on my way up here but he just walked straight past me."

Hermione looked up at Harry before shedding tears once more.

Harry quickly set down the plate of cakes on the bedside table before sitting down on the edge of the bed and wrapping an arm around her.

"You two haven't broken up have you?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head.

"What is it then?" Harry asked. "It must be pretty serious if you're crying, you hardly ever cry!"

Hermione gave a watery smile.

As he waited for a reply Harry helped himself to a glass of pumpkin juice from a flagon beside Hermione's bed.

Hermione sighed.

"I don't really know how to say this…" she said. "I'm pregnant," Hermione said quietly.

Harry who had been unfortunate enough to take a swig of juice at that moment spat it out.

"What!"

"Oh Harry I feel so ashamed," Hermione wailed.

"Ah. So that's why Ron's in such a funny mood," Harry said.

He fell into silence seemingly unable to say anything else.

"Harry?" Hermione asked after five minutes had gone by.

Harry started.

"Well that was certainly, um, unexpected," he said. "Don't feel ashamed Hermione. Having a, a baby is supposed to be a happy time."

"Yes if you are married and have a job!" Hermione shrieked. "We have none of those things! We are school children, we have only been together three years, we are no where near getting married, we both still live at home and neither of us is employed!"

"Just try to calm down," Harry murmured awkwardly.

"Calm down! How do you think you would react if Ginny told you she was three months pregnant!"

"Good point," Harry agreed.

"I have the right to be panicking right now," Hermione told him.

Harry nodded.

"Why don't I go and get Ginny for you?" he asked.

Hermione agreed so Harry made for the door looking like he couldn't wait to get out of there.

...

Before long Ginny appeared with a harassed look on her face.

"What is it?" she asked. "Harry said you some news, he wouldn't tell me what it was though. He said it was better coming from you."

For the third time that day Hermione delivered the news.

"Oh," Ginny said.

"What am I going to do Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"I don't really know what to say," Ginny said truthfully.

Hermione burst into tears.

"A few hours ago all I was worrying about was my NEWTS," she sobbed.

Ginny wrapped a comforting arm around the older girl.

"It is just going to take time to get used to the idea," she said. "Before long you will be over the shock and will start feeling excited. I'm nearly over my shock already," she said unconvincingly.

"What about Ron?" Hermione worried. "I don't think he is going to get over it easily."

"Where is Ron anyway?" Ginny asked. "Shouldn't he be here with you?"

"He was here but he stormed off. He didn't take the news very well at all."

A look of anger passed over Ginny's face but she did not say anything.

"If you look at it practically then everything should work out alright," Ginny said comfortingly. "Your exams are seven months away, the baby would be here-"

"One month before them," Hermione finished for her. "But that still leaves the fact that we have no money, no experience and all the other problems..."

"Wait?" Ginny said. "Your three months gone? How on earth could you have missed that!" she exclaimed. "And shouldn't you be showing by now?" she gazed at Hermione's stomach.

Hermione felt her stomach.

"I think there is a slight bump," she said uncertainly. "But don't people all develop in different ways? Some people start showing quickly but others take longer?"

"Yeah I suppose," Ginny agreed. "You're small and thin anyway so you probably wont show as much as other people might. I know my cousins wife was pregnant and she stayed the same size of robes she was at the beginning she managed to fit into the same ones all the way through while my mother had to buy special maternity robes. You know they expand as your belly does, they're amazing."

After a few minutes Madam Pomfrey chased Ginny off saying that Hermione needed her rest.

"Now you get a good nights sleep because tomorrow you are going to have a chat with Professor McGonagall about your options. You will also need to inform your parents and Mr Weasley's," she told Hermione.

"Oh please not all at once," Hermione begged. "I'll tell Professor McGonagall tomorrow but could I perhaps leave it a while to tell my parents. I've barely got my head around it myself."

Madam Pomfrey's face softened as she looked down at Hermione.

"Of course," she smiled at her. "I'm forgetting you only just found out yourself. Yes of course you need time to come to terms with the news yourself but don't leave it to late to tell your parents."


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Hermione found herself standing outside of Professor McGonagall office. She knocked nervously on the door before waiting to be told to enter. As it was a Sunday the corridors were empty with people either having a long lie in their dorms or else down in the Great Hall having breakfast.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall looked up at her from her seat behind her desk. "Take a seat."

Hermione sat down on the edge of a wooden hard backed chair. She stared at the desk in front of her and began fidgeting with her hands.

"Well?" McGonagall asked sternly. "I assume there is a reason you have come to see me at nine o'clock on a Sunday morning."

"Yes," Hermione mumbled. "You see I was feeling unwell yesterday so I went to see Madam Pomfrey and she discovered that I - I - that I -"

"You are pregnant," McGonagall cut her off briskly.

Hermione's head snapped up to look at the professor in astonishment.

"As a matter of fact Poppy came to see me yesterday and filled me in. She seemed to think you may have difficulty explaining things," Professor McGonagall's mouth twitched slightly.

Hermione's face turned deep red in colour.

"I presume therefore that you are here to discuss your education."

Hermione gaped at her.

"Well unless you were asking about parenting tips there really was no other reason why you would be here," McGonagall stated.

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "So what will happen? Will I be able to sit my NEWTS and continue going to classes?" she asked quickly. "I've worked so hard for these exams. I couldn't bear it if I was not allowed to sit them. This is my last year at Hogwarts. I want to learn as much as I can before I have to leave. Oh please don't tell me I wont be able to stay here at Hog-"

"Miss Granger," McGonagall interrupted her flow of words. "If you give me a moment to explain then I shall. Now you are three months pregnant. Yes?" she asked disapprovingly.

Hermione nodded meekly.

"The exams are seven months from now so as long as everything runs to plan the baby should arrive around a month before the start of the NEWTS so I see no reason how you should not be able to take part if that is what you wish to do. It will not be easy however. You will miss out on lessons and valuable revision. With a baby to look after you will not have as much time to study. When the baby arrives it will not be allowed to stay here in Hogwarts understandably and I assume you would not stay here without it."

Hermione shook her head. "I was thinking about it last night," she said eagerly. "I will attend lessons until it comes near to the birth. Once the baby is here I will move back home with mum and dad and I will study and catch up on any lost work from there."

"What do your parents think of this?" McGonagall asked.

"I haven't told them yet," Hermione admitted. "I don't know how I'm going to be able to."

Her eyes started watering and tears started to spill from her eyes.

"You are a bright girl Miss Granger and despite how incredibly difficult your life is going to be I have a feeling you will do just fine."

"Thank you Professor," Hermione sniffed.

She stood up and hurried from the room.

***

After leaving the office Hermione made her way to Gryffindor Tower where she found Ron sitting alone by the fire, everyone else having gone down to breakfast by now.

"Ron?" she asked tentatively.

"I was going to come and see you," Ron said slowly.

"You don't look very well," Hermione said.

"Well I didn't exactly get much sleep did I?" Ron said in a slightly exasperated tone. "I've been awake all night thinking about our um situation. Er and I realise I may not have reacted the way I should have when you told me the news…" he said awkwardly.

Hermione shook her head.

"I don't know how you were supposed to react," she said. "It was a huge shock."

"You're not kidding there," Ron mumbled.

Hermione fell silent.

"What are we going to do? Are we really ready to have a baby? I mean an actual baby! It's a huge commitment. It would turn our whole lives around. I don't know how to be a father!" Ron said in a panic.

"Ron I want to keep the baby. I want us to raise it together…I know it would be difficult but we could manage couldn't we?" Hermione said earnestly.

"I always pictured having kids years and years down the line."

"Me too," Hermione said. "When I was married and had concentrated on my career for a few years."

"Have you really thought about this? We don't have anywhere to live ? Where would we raise the baby?" Ron asked.

"Well I was thinking in my house. You could move in if it was ok with mum and dad of course," Hermione said.

"What about school and the exams?" Ron quizzed her.

"Well I had a talk with McGonagall before coming here and she seems to think that it would not be easy but I would manage. It can't be much worse than in third year when I was taking all those extra subjects can it?"

Ron looked at her sceptically.

"Yes you're right, it's completely different. I don't see why I can't go to class right until the end. As long as everything goes smoothly with the pregnancy. The exams are a bit more difficult as the baby would be there by then but I think it should work."

"You really have thought of everything already. But are we ready to bring up a child?" Ron said seriously.

"I don't know… The more I think about it though the more I get used to the idea, But I guess we don't have to make any decisions right away. After all we only found out yesterday," Hermione smiled weakly.

"The longer we leave it the worse it will become. I think it's best just to discuss it now. You know the idea is beginning to grow on me too," Ron said.

"Really?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

Ron nodded slowly. "If you want us to raise the baby together then that's what we'll do however challenging it is."

"Oh Ron! I think having this baby has begun to change you already."

She threw her arms around him.

"I'm going to be a dad," Ron laughed shakily. "How strange."

At that moment Harry and Ginny entered the Common room.

"Hermione," Ginny greeted her warmly. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm over the initial shock," Hermione explained as she sat down in an armchair. "I've planned it all out so I should hopefully be able to sit the exams."

"You're still taking the NEWTS?" Harry asked disbelievingly.

"Of course I am," Hermione said determinedly.

"Yeah come on Harry it's Hermione," Ron grinned. "Nothing is going to stop her taking these exams."

"So have you decided what you are going to do?" Ginny asked.

"We're going to raise the baby together," Hermione told them.

"Yeah as best as we can," Ron added.

"My brother becoming a father," Ginny laughed. "It feels so surreal."

"It does," Harry said. "Only yesterday morning life was normal well as normal as it can be at Hogwarts and now here you two are expecting a baby."

"Yeah I'm still trying to get my head around it myself," Ron informed them.

"You know what I'm looking forward to?" Ginny told them. "Mums reaction when you tell her the news," she smiled.

"Oh don't," Hermione moaned weakly.

Ron turned pale. "She's going to kill me," he said dramatically.

Hermione was about to reply when she leaped up from her seat and ran off holding her hand over her mouth.


	5. Chapter 5

It was not for another week that Hermione and Ron plucked up the courage to tell their families. Both wrote a letter asking them to come up to the school the next Saturday afternoon.

"It's going to be ok," Ron tried to comfort Hermione who was sitting rocking back and forwards on a chair in McGonagall's office.

Ron himself was sitting pale faced and shaking.

Mr and Mrs Granger were first to arrive in the office.

"Hermione darling what is this all about?" Mrs Granger asked worriedly.

Hermione just shook her head.

"We'll explain it all in a minute," she told them.

"No wait," Ron said. "Maybe it is best to do it one by one. It might be easier?" he suggested.

"Well if you think so," Hermione said uncertainly. "Mum, dad we have some very big news to tell you." she glanced quickly at Ron before continuing. "You see last week I found out that I was - " Hermione's bottom lip trembled.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I'm pregnant," she said quickly.

Her eyes flew open so she could see her parents reactions.

Mr Granger was staring at her unblinkingly.

"Oh Hermione!" her mother gasped.

"I've let you down haven't I," Hermione said miserably.

"You hear about this kind of thing on the television all the time, teenage pregnancies, but never in a million years did I think it would be happening to my own daughter," Mrs Granger said.

Hermione looked down at her feet in shame.

"D-Dad?" Hermione asked. "Please say something?"

"You have your full life ahead of you," Mr Granger said slowly. "Your final exams then on to get a job in the wizarding world. This is what you have been working for all these years. Are you just going to forget all of that?"

"Of course not," Hermione said earnestly. Her eyes began to sparkle with tears .

"I'm going to do the exams and well I don't know about the job but…"

She looked over at Ron for support who looked back at her with a blank expression. The room fell silent for several minutes until the door swung open and Mr and Weasley walked in.

"Ron? Hermione? What in the name of Gryffindor is going on here? I have been worried sick since receiving your letter," Mrs Weasley spoke.

"Oh hello," Mr Weasley smiled over at Hermione's parents before sitting down beside his wife. "Well Ron?" he asked.

"Right um hi mum, dad," Ron began nervously. "So we asked you to come here today for a very important reason."

He looked over at Hermione and pleaded with his eyes for help but she shook her head gently.

"Well, you see, um… now I know how you feel," Ron told Hermione while laughing nervously. "Hermionespregnant," he said it all in a rush.

"Oh for heavens sake Ron speak properly," Mrs Weasley scolded him.

"Hermione is pregnant," Ron looked at the ceiling as he said this.

"What!" Mrs Weasley yelped.

"Hermione is this true?" Mr Weasley asked.

Hermione nodded slowly.

"Are you completely insane? Is this the way your father and I brought you up? Your eighteen! You're in the middle of your NEWT year and you go and pull a stunt like this. Not even from Fred and George did we - "

"Look it's not our fault!" Ron bellowed, his face turning redder than his hair. "It's done. We can't go back and change it. Shouting at us isn't going to change anything. It's not as if it was a one night stand or anything. We've been together for years. We love each other. "

Mrs Weasley looked taken aback at being yelled at by her youngest son. She looked ready to start a shouting match but Mr Weasley quickly spoke before anything could kick off.

"Well congratulations son, Hermione," he beamed at them. He stood up and went round the room shaking hands with them all.

The room turned silent again. Ron and Hermione avoided eye contact with their parents.

Mrs Granger cleared her throat.

"Yes congratulations," she said stiffly.

"My little girl having a baby," Mr Granger shook his head.

"Have you two even thought of what you are going to do when the baby arrives?" Mrs Weasley asked.

"We were thinking that maybe Ron could come and live with me and the baby in our house?" Hermione asked her parents.

"Just until we get a place of our own," Ron chipped in. "As soon as I have a job and have earned enough money to afford it."

"Well I suppose so," Mrs Granger said weakly.

Hermione and Ron beamed at each other.


End file.
